Bliss
by AngelEmperor
Summary: Nunnally and Zero accept an invitation to spend a week at Jeremiah's orange farm and are reunited with someone they never expected to see again. Post-R2; Lelouch lives
1. Reunion

**Legal stuff/ Disclaimer: **I do not own Code Geass or any of its characters!

**Warnings: **Just a lot of spoilers.

* * *

Somewhere in the countryside of Japan in the middle of summer, Kururugi Suzaku stood silently on the side of a dusty dirt road, the wind gently tousling his messy brown hair. Two small suitcases sat on the ground nearby. Beside him sat a girl in a simple wheelchair wearing a large sunhat and sunglasses to conceal her wide purple eyes and soft features. Nunnally, the 100th empress of Britannia was out in the middle of nowhere, waiting for her and Suzaku's ride.

Suzaku let out a small sigh. It had been an entire year since he had gotten a break. It was also the first time in years that he could just be Kururugi Suzaku, not Zero. Although it had been three years since that fateful day and the pain had not lessened at all. But still, he carried on. It was their plan; this was how it had to be. He had to live on as Zero. Kururugi Suzaku no longer existed in the world.

Nunnally sighed as well. She too was actually happy to get a break. Personally, she had felt bad taking a vacation when she should be governing her people, but her advisors had insisted on it, after all, she was only 18 years of age and leading an entire nation. A break would be good for her health and her happiness, especially since she had never fully recovered from her brother's death. As heavy as her heart was over the loss, she was glad to have discovered that it was his plan… to focus the hatred of the world onto himself in the ultimate self-sacrifice for world peace. Her brother wasn't a demon emperor; he was an angelic one. Yet the world could never be allowed to know that. Still, that truth lightened the weight on her heart. The last reason Nunnally agreed to take the break was she didn't want to turn down the offer.

_ My grand Empress, Nunnally vi Britannia,_

_ I, Jeremiah Gottweld would like to invite you to spend a week on my humble orange farm. If it were possible I would be greatly honored to have you. I can assure you that you would be secure on this farm, it is secluded, peaceful and I'm sure you would find it very beneficial to your wellbeing. If you accept, please feel free to have Zero accompany you._

_ Sincerely, _

_Jeremiah Gottweld_

Suzaku looked down the road. There was no sign of any vehicle of any kind. _Jeremiah said that a wagon would come to pick us up…but no one is here yet. _Nunnally looked up at him and smiled.

"Don't worry, I'm sure they'll come soon." She told him. "Look, there's a wagon coming right now!"

A mid-sized wagon pulled by horses came down the dirt road, kicking up dust as it went. A tall, thin man drove the cart, but a wide hat with cloth hanging down on either side concealed his face The two of them didn't think much of it, but he seemed to be wearing rather heavy clothes, which was strange, saying that it was a hot summer day. The wagon slowed to a stop in front of them. Both Nunnally and Suzaku were surprised at who they saw next.

"Hey."

C.C., wearing a white, green and red dress poked her head up from the hay in the back of the wagon. Her long green hair was braided behind her back and she was resting her arms on her huge Cheese-Kun plush.

"…C.C.?" Suzaku said in amazement. "You were here?"

"Sometimes. I've been wandering." She answered simply. "Although I do spend a lot of time at this orange farm."

Nunnally blinked behind her sunglasses. She didn't know much about C.C. other than she was the one who had given her brother Geass and that she had spent a lot of time with him. Unsure of how to react, she stayed silent, memories of her dear older brother making he feel overwhelmed with grief. She fought back the tears that formed in her eyes.

Suzaku was speechless as well. He had never imagined that C.C would be the one to greet them. Seeing her made him think of the painful memories of losing his friend.

"I…" Suzaku began, but couldn't finish.

C.C. gave a small smile. She turned towards the driver.

"You're so mean. Ignoring them like this? They've only seen me and they're nearly crying."

The driver gave a small chuckle. "You're right. That was rather rude of me."

Suzaku's breath caught in his throat. Nunnally's heart skipped a beat. Impossible… That voice was unmistakable. The driver rose, stepping down from the cart. He turned towards the two of them and reached up, taking off his hat.

"I just wasn't sure when the right moment would be."

Suzaku's eyes widened. Nunnally gasped.

His violet eyes shone in the sunlight. His black hair blew softly in the wind. A kind smile was on his handsome face.

"It's been a while, Nunnally, Suzaku."

Time seemed to stop.

Lelouch vi Britannia stood before them.

"Brother!" Nunnally burst into tears. She pushed herself out of her chair and threw her arms around her brother in an embrace. Lelouch closed his eyes, tears starting to form. He hugged her back, gently smiling as he hugged his beloved younger sister tightly.

Suzaku found himself crying as well. Memories of that day three years ago flashed through his head. The trail of blood, the tears against Suzaku's face, Lelouch's soft, sincere smile as his life slipped away. Suddenly they all washed away. It was like a dream. Despite all the questions he now had, the only thing that mattered was that Lelouch was alive.

"Lelouch... but… how? How are you…?" He managed to ask, taking a step forward, feeling off-balance in astonishment and joy.

Lelouch turned his head towards Suzaku. He looked exactly the same as he did three years ago. His eyes were glimmering with tears. Like Suzaku and Nunnally's, they weren't tears of sadness. Lelouch was feeling just as overcome with emotion as his sister and friend were. To see their faces again was one of the greatest feelings he had ever had. Taking a deep breath, he spoke.

"I'll explain everything when we get to the farm. I promise." Lelouch answered.

Suzaku nodded weakly.

"You look like you're going to faint." Lelouch said, smiling. "Come on, let's get into the wagon."

Lelouch looked back down to Nunnally, whose face was buried in his blue coat, and softly touched her hair.

"Nunnally, are you alright? Are you ready to get going?" He asked softly.

She nodded. "I-I'm fine." Lelouch gave her an 'are you sure?' look. She nodded again. Lelouch picked her up and carried her over to the back of the wagon. From there, C.C. helped her get comfortable before giving the thumbs-up as a signal that it was okay to get going.

Lelouch put his hat back on and walked over to the front of the wagon, motioning for Suzaku to follow him. Suzaku grinned and did so.

"I don't believe it…" Suzaku said as he wiped away tears. "I don't believe it."

"An explanation." Lelouch told them as they sat in a wide room on Jeremiah's farm. Lelouch had waited until that night so that Nunnally and Suzaku could calm down. As much as he knew that they were restless to hear his story, he knew that it would be unwise to slam all of the information on them while they were still recovering from just discovering that he was alive. Now, Lelouch, C.C., Suzaku, Nunnally, and Jeremiah all sat comfortably by the fireplace as Lelouch started to speak.

"To be honest… this wasn't planned," Lelouch began. "As far as I knew, I should have died back there…" He paused. "But I woke up in a pool of my own blood… without a single wound." He reached up to his neck and began to unbutton his shirt. He undid the first few buttons so that the base of his neck was revealed. His palm lingered over the area for a second then he slowly pulled it away. On his neck was a red symbol. The symbol of the Geass. The symbol of the Code.

"Code." He said, looking straight into their eyes. "Immortality."

Both Suzaku and Nunnally's eyes widened. Suzaku suddenly realized why Lelouch looked exactly the same even though three years had passed. He would look to be 18 forever.

"How… why?" He asked, swallowing.

"… In the World of C. I hadn't realized it then but Charles' Code was transferred on to me when he died, since his palm was touching my neck when I killed him. When I awakened, C.C. explained everything to me. She had known all along." His fingers touched the symbol of the Code on his neck.

"When a person obtains the Code, they won't realize it right away, unless someone told them earlier. They need to "die" before it activates and the symbol appears," C.C. explained. "Lelouch is very unique, as most people lose their Geass when they receive a Code. But that is only because they received the Code from the same person that they made their contract with. Since Lelouch didn't receive his Code from me, he kept his Geass. As soon as he obtained the Code, I knew… but I couldn't bring myself to tell Lelouch… the Code is a blessing… and a curse…" C.C. trailed off, thinking about her own despair she had suffered through for so long before finally finding a reason to live.

"In fact, that was the only way C.C. convinced me to be content with the Zero Requiem," Jeremiah said, " She told me about Lelouch gaining immortality. If I hadn't known, there would be no way that I would be pleased with letting it commence."

C.C. words seemed to repeat over and over again in Lelouch's head. He knew it was foolish to try to push the thoughts out of his mind. The day would come when his Code would become a curse. He clenched his fist. _One day, Suzaku, Nunnally, Kallen, Milly, Rivalz… all of my friends will die yet I will remain. Is it possible to be able to stand that kind of pain? _

C.C. glanced over at Lelouch, a worried expression etched onto her face.

"Lelouch." She said. Their eyes met and she touched his hand.

_I have withstood that pain for many years… it is no easy task… but I had no one. No one to comfort me, to embrace me, or to lean on. It's no wonder I wanted to die. But remember what I told you when we first set out…Geass brings solitude… but that's not your case. We will share our burdens together for all eternity. For now, enjoy your time with them…_

Lelouch sighed and relaxed his fist. _Yes… there is nothing else I can do but enjoy this time… _He then continued to speak. "After I awoke… I was unsure of what to do. I obviously could not return to Britannia, or any country for that matter. I couldn't even return to Ashford Academy. All options were far too risky."

"So after some talking…" C.C. said.

"We decided that roaming the countryside while occasionally stopping here was the safest option." Lelouch finished.

Suzaku shook his head and leaned back in his chair, trying to take in all of the information. "I'm still in shock." He said. "It's just so unbelievable."

Lelouch gave a small smile. "I'm sorry it took so long to get you two out here. It's more… complicated than you might think." His smile took on a touch of sadness as he said that.

"It's fine, brother, as long as I know you're here and alright." Nunnally said softly.

C.C. smirked. "Don't worry about that. He can't be injured for long."

Lelouch laughed a little. "I suppose you are correct." He glanced at the ticking clock on the wall. "It's getting late. We can talk more tomorrow."

"You're right…" Suzaku agreed. His expression showed that he was deep in thought as he spoke.

Lelouch stood up. "I'll show you to your rooms. Jeremiah and Anya prepared them earlier." He took the handles on Nunnally's wheelchair and wheeled her out, while Suzaku walked beside him. First, they came to Suzaku's room.

"Here you are," Lelouch said, opening the door to the small, but nice bedroom. "It's not too much, we don't normally have guests."

"It's fine, it's fine." Suzaku replied, setting his bag down by the bed. He paused. "We have a lot of catching up to do."

"Hah, indeed. Just like when you came to Ashford Academy."

"…Yeah. Just like back then." A small smiled appeared on Suzaku's face.

"See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow." Lelouch left the room and walked back to Nunnally. A content silence filled the air as they walked to her room. When they arrived, Lelouch opened the door and wheeled her in.

"Please get some rest, Brother." Nunnally told Lelouch as they entered. "Don't worry about me. I can handle everything just fine… you always took care of me, I want you to have a break for once..."

"I…" Lelouch was clearly a little hesitant.

"Please. Don't worry about me, it's fine."

Lelouch let out a long sigh. "If you insist. But please, if you need any assistance, call for me."

"I will. Good night, Brother."

"Good night, Nunnally." Lelouch left the room, with many things on his mind.


	2. A Talk With Suzaku

**Legal stuff/ Disclaimer: **I do not own Code Geass or any of its characters!

**Warnings: **Just a lot of spoilers.

**Notes: **This chapter is not intended to be LelouchxSuzaku, it's supposed to be focused on their friendship. However, if you'd like to take it as LelouchxSuzaku, I have no problem at all.

* * *

The cool summer night air felt refreshing and good as Lelouch sat silently upon a wall outside of Jeremiah's house. He gazed up at the stars glowing against the dark background. So many were visible out in the countryside.

_Fitting._ Lelouch thought. _This seems like a whole different life for me, just like how the sky here appears to be completely different_ _than that of the cities._

He sighed. Unable to sleep, and feeling nostalgic, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting all of the emotions from the day's events flood over him in one giant wave.

"Nunnally told you to get some rest. She'll worry if you don't." A voice behind him said.

Lelouch turned his head to see Suzaku approaching the wall wear he sat, looking slightly tired and even a little bit worried.

"Actually, in theory I don't need to sleep." Lelouch answered.

"I'd say that you just couldn't sleep."

"Hm, maybe."

Suzaku climbed up the wall with ease and sat down next to Lelouch. Lelouch couldn't help but smile when he thought of how much more effort it had taken himself to get up on top of the barrier. Some things never change. For several minutes there was silence between the two friends. At last, Lelouch spoke.

"How is everyone? Are they faring well?" Lelouch asked with a small, melancholy smile. He still missed them, but now his friends and everyone else had a better world to live in. For Lelouch, nothing was better than that. Moreover, he felt that it would serve as atonement, not being able to meet with them.

"…Milly is doing well at her job, while Nina has stopped working in any field of science regarding weaponry. I think she's a lot happier now. Rivalz has tried out a few jobs, but he can't decide what he wants to do. But I heard that he's considering teaching at Ashford."

Lelouch chuckled. "They haven't changed at all. Not at all…"

Suzaku looked away. "Kallen is doing well too. She's out of college now and joined the Japanese defense force. She's the star pilot, of course."

"That's good to hear. I didn't expect anything less from Kallen." Lelouch smiled and looked off into the distance, enjoying the mild night breeze. "Regarding Ashford Academy, was it rebuilt?"

"Yeah, it looks exactly as it used to."

Lelouch nodded. He was happy to hear that too.

Silence fell over them again. Suzaku then broke the silence with a question spoken in a quiet tone.

"We're you the one who set off those fireworks at Ashford Academy?"

Lelouch frowned for a moment then smiled sadly. "How I wish I was… but that would have been far too risky."

"So you lied about that too…"

"…"

Suzaku touched his right hand to his left elbow. Lelouch's eyes softened. Their code from when they were children for 'I understand'.

"That was an impossible promise in the end." Suzaku said to accompany the gesture.

"Then the least I can do is hope that it was enough. It was the closest I could get."

"Then it was fine."

Then, Lelouch hesitated for a moment. The air was filled with a certain tension as he did. Finally he said what was on his mind.

"Suzaku, be honest. Are you angry with me?"

"For what?" Suzaku asked, somewhat bewildered.

"What else? For living on."

"Why… would I ever feel that way?" Suzaku asked. "You didn't know that you had the Code and you haven't failed the Zero Requiem. The world is a much better place now because of your sacrifice. Lelouch vi Britannia and Kururugi Suzaku disappeared from the world on that day and the world is no different than it would have been had you actually died back there, in fact it's better... because you're alive." Lelouch doubted that Suzaku realized it, but he had begun to raise his voice.

Lelouch was silent for a minute. He hadn't expected Suzaku to answer so intensely. He looked downwards and folded his hands. "Truthfully… I was angry with myself for some time." He told Suzaku. "My heart, my soul, my sense of justice believed that in order to atone, I had to die. So by living, I don't feel that I compensated for my actions… and I don't feel that I completely lived up to my part of our plan." Lelouch's words were heavy with guilt and seemed to hover in the air.

"I think you did. " Suzaku said after a brief pause. "You changed the world… and you didn't change it just as atonement… you changed it for the people. You changed it because it could be improved. You changed it because you are selfless and kind… and you sought a better world for everyone. For anyone to say that you haven't compensated for what you've done... that's just ignorance."

Once again, Lelouch slowly looked up at the starsand let himself take in Suzaku's words. He didn't speak for a few minutes. Suzaku didn't care. He couldn't even begin to imagine the complex emotions that Lelouch was feeling or the thoughts running through his head. At last, Lelouch spoke.

"…Thanks, Suzaku." He said, and looked straight ahead, slowly gathering his confidence. "The Zero Requiem was a success. The purpose… the reason I created the plan was to make the world a better place for everyone. That was the main goal, and it succeeded and that is what truly matters. But… it succeeded because we did disappear from this world. Kururugi Suzaku and Lelouch vi Britannia did disappear from this world, you became Zero and I, Lelouch vi Britannia, became Lelouch Lamperouge. And in that I have compensated for my sins."

"Then this is how it should be."

"Right… the way it's supposed to be." Lelouch agreed.

For the next few minutes, the two friends simply enjoyed each other's company. They hadn't been able to do that for three years. Suzaku had thought that he never would be able to again. And so that moment was bliss for the two friends. Bliss that at one point in time, both friends believed that they would never reach again. So they savored that moment greatly.

"The sun is starting to rise." Suzaku said quietly as tinges of orange appeared on the horizon.

"It appears we've been out here for longer than we thought." Lelouch smiled. "Nunnally is going to worry about both of us now."

Suzaku chuckled. "Oops. Here I go telling you to get some sleep so she wont get worried but I ended up making the problem worse."

"Suzaku, when don't you make the problem worse?" Lelouch teased jokingly.

"At least I don't cause the problems in the first place." Suzaku replied with a grin.

"Really? Says who? I do believe you cause the problems most of the time."

Lelouch slid off the wall onto the grass and Suzaku followed right after him. They continued to joke and laugh as they walked back towards the house on the orange farm.

To anyone else, it would seem odd. The two friends had been so serious beforehand but were now suddenly joking around in a lighthearted manner. But for them, it was perfectly normal. It showed just how deep their friendship was, it showed the trust they had in one another. And at that moment, it was all they needed.


	3. Apologies and Forgiveness

I don't own Code Geass or its characters!

* * *

Nunnally and Suzaku were doing all that they could to stop themselves from bursting into laughter. C.C. was even giggling, and she was used to the sight, but it still was amusing to watch the young man work.

Lelouch was not an athletic person at all. So, the work on Jeremiah's orange farm did not come easy to him. But it didn't help that his sister, his best friend and that witch were laughing at him!

"It's not… funny…!" Lelouch told them, bent over and panting. His skinny build was definitely not suited to this work.

They all suppressed a giggle. Lelouch sighed. Luckily, he didn't care much about athletic ability. And it was good to see his friends together, smiling and laughing without worry.

_Yes… this is why I wanted a better world, _Lelouch thought, _now everyone has the opportunity to feel that way. _Lelouch stood up straight after catching his breath and resumed picking the bright orange fruit. To his right, he could see Jeremiah chuckling at him too. Anya, on the other hand, stared blankly at the oranges she was picking.

Lelouch, taking in the pleasant atmosphere, turned his attention to Nunnally. It was odd… to say the least. Nunnally appeared to be the same age as him. She still looked small and frail, but definitely a little older. It was even stranger to think that she would soon look older than him. Suzaku already did. They were still about the same height, but his face had matured slightly, he didn't look quite as childish anymore. Suzaku was now 21, and so was Lelouch, but Lelouch still looked like he was 18, and he always would look to be 18. It actually didn't really bother him, but it still was a little strange.

"Everyone,"

"Hm?" Lelouch looked at Nunnally. She was holding a peeled orange.

"Jeremiah said that we should try the oranges when they're fresh. Let's split it." She tore the orange into fourths and gave one part to Suzaku, one part to C.C. and one to Lelouch. She placed the slices gently in his hand and smiled.

"Ah, thank you Nunnally." Lelouch smiled in return and took the orange slices. It was a simple act, yet a wonderful moment for him. Yes, this was indeed what he wished for the people of the world to be able to feel like. Inexpressible happiness.

After the four finished their orange slices, Jeremiah motioned for them to follow him deeper into the grove. Lelouch took Nunnally's wheelchair, the ground was a little rough, but she could still get over it without too much of a problem. Suzaku walked slowly, staying beside them as they walked while C.C. followed from behind. They arrived at the next section and immediately got to work, while Nunnally sat near her brother, watching him quietly.

Lelouch didn't need to ask; he could tell that something was wrong. It started right after they shared the oranges. He recognized the manner in which Nunnally held herself and spoke when there was something she was keeping in. Lelouch quickly ran it over in his head. Was it a good idea to ask her what was wrong? He was worried about her, but Nunnally was now 18. She had grown, matured; she wasn't the same girl that she was when he had last seen her. She was an adult now, and had been through many things that had undoubtedly shaped who she had become. He decided that if Nunnally wished to tell him, she would, if she didn't, he wouldn't ask.

Lelouch then returned to his work, trying to put the thought off to the side. Soon, everyone's container was full, except for Lelouch's, as expected.

"Don't worry about it, just go empty your containers." Lelouch told them, looking from the comparatively pitiful amount of oranges in his basket to his friends.

"Right, right." Suzaku replied with a nod and walked off.

Lelouch turned back to the grove and continued to pick the oranges. Nunnally remained near him, still not saying much.

"I'm sorry, this probably isn't too entertaining," Lelouch said to her with a gentle smile.

"Ah, no…" She said quietly, looking at her hands that were folded in her lap.

Lelouch paused momentarily, glancing over at his sister with worry. Nunnally must have felt his worried gaze as she shifted slightly and looked up at her older brother.

"Brother," She paused slightly. "When one feels like they need to apologize for something but isn't sure how to say it… what should they do?"

Lelouch stopped and lowered his hands. "Think it over, their reasons for apologizing, the person they wish to apologize to… then say it when they feel more comfortable." He prayed that he didn't sound pressuring, he didn't mean to.

Nunnally seemed to stop and think for a moment after he said this. She started to speak and stopped, as if not sure what to say.

"Then… I'm sorry." She said at last. Her voice was firm, but it had a slight tone of sadness to it. "For the position I took, the things I said… and my failure to see what it truly was." Her voice wavered a little, but she managed to keep her composure, though Lelouch could see her hands trembling slightly.

Lelouch climbed down the ladder and kneeled in front of Nunnally's wheelchair taking her hands.

"Please don't apologize." He said softly. "In all honesty, please do not apologize. There's no reason for you to feel ashamed." He squeezed her hands gently. "Truly, I'm the only one who should be making an apology..." He looked down at their hands. "I never told you what we had planned; Suzaku and I. We left you to an impossibly difficult position… but you know why, right? Why I could never tell you."

Nunnally, her composure beginning to falter, swallowed and nodded. "Yes…I think I do." She understood perfectly. If she had known, she would have opposed even more strongly than if she didn't. Lelouch's plan would have fallen apart.

"The position that you took, the things that you said… I don't blame you for saying them. Your stance, your words and your actions… it would be strange for you not to do what you did. I take no insult in them. Remember? Everyone was supposed to hate me. Hate me and no one else… and that included you." Lelouch looked up at her. _Please don't cry, _He thought, seeing her expression. Lelouch could feel her hands trembling as they spoke.

"But I could never hate you," Nunnally replied, choking on her words. "Even then. I wanted to, …" She laughed a small, sad laugh. "I kept thinking of your gentle hands and voice… what you were doing never really added up."

She paused. "So maybe I really understood the whole time. Somewhere deep inside of me understood… I just never listened to that part."

Lelouch found himself at a loss of words. So instead of trying to say something, he just hugged his dear sister instead, giving the special reassurance of an older sibling. And that was just what Nunnally needed right then. The reassurance coming from her older brother that everything was all right.

"So please try not to blame yourself." Lelouch told her quietly.

Wiping a few tears away, Nunnally nodded. "As long as you don't blame yourself."

Lelouch smiled sadly. He'd always blame himself. Even for the events that he could not have controlled. Euphy, Shirley, and all of the other things he did not cause or had not wished to happen, he would still blame himself for them.

"…At least don't feel guilty for not telling me." Nunnally said, as if reading his thoughts.

Lelouch's smile brightened slightly. He could at least try.

"Then it's a deal." He said.

Nunnally smiled back and brushed a few strands of Lelouch's dark hair away from his handsome face.

"I can see you now," She said. "Clearly, and truly. I can see my brother for the first time in years. And just like I remember, my brother has a face like an angel's."

Lelouch clasped her hand with both of his. "Nunnally…"

He had always wished for her to be able to see again. That wish had come true… aboard the Damocles, far above the earth as the siblings opposed each other in a battle for the world. This time, he could truly be happy that her sight had returned. And with those words, he also knew that she had forgiven him.

"Thank you." Lelouch said. It was mutual, their apologies and forgiveness.

Nunnally gave a heartfelt smile in return. She shook her head, wiping her tears away. "Thank _you_."

Lelouch returned the smile and stood up, giving Nunnally—and himself some time to dry their eyes and regain their composure. Soon, their friends returned to the siblings. They could sense that there had been an emotional moment, but they chose not to say anything. They could all tell that it had been resolved.

"It's almost noon," Jeremiah informed them a little bit after they had returned. "We should stop for a brief lunch break soon."

"Right," Nunnally replied. She sounded far less troubled now, much to Lelouch's relief. He was relieved to have apologized to her as well.

"Well then, let's head back." He said, taking Nunnally's wheelchair. Their eyes met and they both smiled warmly.

"Great, I want pizza." C.C. said.

"You always want pizza." Lelouch replied.

"Hehe, brother you'll have to get used to that soon…"

"What!"

"Hey…"

Each one of them had a bright smile on their face.

* * *

**Notes: **This one has a similar theme to the last chapter: resolving problems and negative emotions that have haunted each individual person. Lot's of orange references too! (By the way, I'm sorry if I said something completely stupid about orange farming, I don't exactly know the subject well! If there are any people out there who know their orange farming and are reading this, sorry!)


	4. Day

Well, it's the final chapter! Thank you to everyone who read this, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Also, I'll probably be starting a series of ongoing drabbles that connect to this story. Thanks again, and please enjoy the final chapter!

I don't own Code Geass or its characters!

* * *

The sun had risen just above the horizon, projecting its gentle golden morning light across the earth. Its light reached into Lelouch's bedroom, warming his cheek. He opened his eyes to the clear summer morning, silent, except for the sound of birds chirping nearby.

Sitting up, he stretched his arms out and looked to his right, hearing talking outside of his room.

"Please try to be quiet, Brother could still be sleeping! You might wake him up!"

"He's probably up by now."

Lelouch smiled at the sound of their voices outside of the room. He slipped out of bed and opened the door slightly.

"Oh!" Nunnally exclaimed happily. "You're up!"

"Don't worry, you didn't wake me." He said. He looked back at the clock. It read 9:45. "Ah, I did seem to oversleep slightly…"

"Lelouch, it's only 9:45. You run on an early schedule but you've slept in later than that." Suzaku replied.

"Hm, whatever. What are you two doing?"

"We made breakfast, so we came to see if you were up and would like some." Nunnally answered cheerfully. "Suzaku and I made it!"

"C.C. tried to help too, but uh… er, she didn't do so well." Suzaku added. "There's a lot of waffle batter on the floor..."

Lelouch smiled, mostly amused and slightly annoyed. Having lived with her for a few years now, he knew exactly what Suzaku meant.

"Great, then I'll be there in a few minutes to have some breakfast… and clean up." He shook his head. "But I'm sure it'll taste fine."

"All right then. See you soon." Suzaku answered and looked down at Nunnally,

"I hope you'll like it!" She said before looking up at and nodding to Suzaku, signaling him to take her wheelchair.

Lelouch watched them fondly for a short time as they walked away, and then closed the door to get ready for the day.

"What on earth…" Lelouch gaped. The kitchen was an absolute mess. Batter was everywhere, on the floor, the counters, the cabinets, the kitchen was absolutely coated in it. As Lelouch stared at the mess in horror, the green-haired culprit slipped into the kitchen with a slice of pizza in her hand.

"Guess who made waffles." She said happily, like she was purposely ignoring the fact that she had made a mess of the entire kitchen.

"What on earth did you do?" Lelouch turned to look at the cause of the kitchen disaster.

"Hm? What does it look like?" She replied nonchalantly. "There was a little accident with the mixer. It's happened before."

"But not like this! What were you even using the mixer for?"

"To mix it."

"You're supposed to stir it by hand."

"Well I didn't want to."

"You're-"

"Um… Brother? C.C.?" Nunnally finally said, interrupting them. They stopped in an instant. "Can we please eat breakfast?"

"Sorry, Nunnally." Lelouch said, turning his attention to his sister. She giggled. She could see why he would be annoyed with C.C., it was quite the mess. But she also knew that she and Lelouch really did care deeply for each other, even if they didn't always show it.

"Well, let's at least clean up the chairs, we can worry about the rest after we eat," Lelouch decided. "Your hard work is getting cold."

"Right, right!" Nunnally wheeled herself over to the table, and motioned for the others to come over as well. Lelouch shot a quick glare at C.C. that clearly announced 'don't think you're getting out of this.' She smirked.

Once the group had cleaned the chairs of the batter, everyone sat down to enjoy their breakfast, trying their best to ignore the remaining waffle splatters on the walls.

"Well?" Suzaku asked, resting his fork on the plate, "Is it up to your standards Lelouch?"

"This is good," He replied sincerely. "You're a better cook than I thought."

"Thanks, though Nunnally helped out a lot…" Suzaku replied, glancing at his friend as he renounced credit for the meal.

Nunnally smiled brightly. "I must have picked up something from my brother."

C.C. took a quick break from her pizza slice to try a little of the actual breakfast food. "It _is_ good."

"You two are the guests; you didn't have to do this… Still, it tastes excellent. Thank you." Lelouch said.

"No, no, we thought it would be fun," Suzaku replied. "And it was. Except for the mixer disaster part."

Everyone giggled at least a little bit; even C.C. chuckled slightly at herself.

"Well, we don't have to work today," Lelouch informed them after several minutes of relaxed talk. "Is there anything in particular that you two would like to do?"

"Maybe you could show us around?" Nunnally suggested, "This is such a pretty place, I'd love to see more of it."

"Sounds good," Lelouch said. "In fact, I think there's a place that you would both enjoy seeing." He smiled.

"Watashi wa pizza ga daisuki desu. J'adore la pizza. jIH muSHa' pizza. Oe yawne pizza. Rakastan pizzaa. Lo amo la pizza. Ich liebe pizza. "

"What are you doing?" Lelouch queried. "We get that you like pizza."

"I'm just killing time." C.C. replied. "And after all, I do love pizza."

Lelouch fought off the urge to tell her 'we know!' He sighed. He could tell that this was payback for their little argument earlier. C.C. could be so childish, but he wasn't about to let that bother him.

"So," Lelouch trotting his horse slightly forward so that he was ahead of C.C. "There's a stream up ahead that we can have lunch at." The group had left about an hour ago and they were all growing hungry. It took a few hours to reach their destination, but everyone was fine with that, they were enjoying riding the horses while chatting lightly and laughing plenty. And of course, listening to C.C. proclaim her love for pizza in multiple languages.

As they reached the small river, they slowed their horses down and stopped near the shade of a few trees that grew nearby. Tying the horses to the tree and making sure those ropes were secure, they settled down under the trees to eat the sandwiches they had made prior to leaving.

"So when will we reach this place?" Nunnally asked after taking a bite of her lunch.

"It'll probably take about another hour and a half. I know I told you earlier that it is a little ways off, but is that all right?"

"Of course, I'm getting excited now!" Nunnally exclaimed joyfully. "It must be something special if it's worth going out all this way."

Lelouch smiled. "I don't think you'll be disappointed." He glanced at C.C. She smiled back at him.

"Um, before we go," Nunnally asked, looking over at the river. "Do you mind if I go in? It looks so refreshing."

Without warning, Suzaku grinned. "No problem!" Suzaku jumped up and lifted Lelouch's younger sister up into his arms, making her let out a small shout of surprise. Lelouch smiled and began to laugh, remembering when this sort of thing would happen all the time.

"It's cold!" Nunnally called her feet in the water. "But it's good!" She was giggling away like she used to, like she did only a few years ago when her life was free from almost any worry.

Lelouch walked over to join them, while C.C. just smiled from her spot under the tree. Lelouch couldn't help but smile even more as he watched them act like little kids again.

"You two are…" Lelouch decided to just let his expression do the talking.

What amazed him the most was that they were still able to act like this, despite all they had been through. As anyone could have predicted, they had become such cold and hardened people by the events of three years ago that this still seemed almost impossible. Such a pure happiness swept his remaining doubts away.

"I think… I made the right decision." Lelouch quietly told C.C. who had silently walked to a position behind him.

"I think you did." Her gaze drifted up towards those he was talking about. "You've given them a gift they could have never imagined. You have mended two shattered hearts."

Lelouch closed his eyes. "They didn't deserve to live like that. I can at least give them something…"

C.C. smiled and shook her head. "You've done far more for them—no, everyone, then you realize," She whispered, looking down at the grass and flowers beneath her feet. "Boy."

"This is… unbelievable!" Nunnally exclaimed.

"It really is something else…!" Suzaku agreed.

From atop the towering cliff they could see for miles and miles in all directions. Grassy fields lay below, untouched by development, pure and untainted. A gentle breeze blew, stirring the grass and thriving plants that grew so abundantly.

"Well?" Lelouch asked as they admired the panoramic view, "I'm hoping that means it was worth the trip."

"Well worth it indeed!" Suzaku answered. Nunnally just nodded, still looking out in amazement.

"I found this a few months after we arrived here," Lelouch told them as he stepped forward to stand next to them, "I make a point to visit this place from time to time."

"It's beautiful… really." Suzaku whispered. "Thank you."

Lelouch just smiled. "Don't thank me quite yet."

And as the sun sunk in the horizon, and the sky grew dark, Suzaku understood what he meant.

"What did I say," Lelouch said, lighting the first firework, "Don't say thank you yet."

Bright colored lights ignited the sky as they lit each one, creating a brilliant show in the starry sky above them. Each explosion brought Lelouch back to that night where he had made that promise to Milly, Shirley, and Rivalz to light fireworks again one day, all together at Ashford Academy. Of course, now, they weren't at Ashford, and none of those three beloved friends were there with him, but… he wanted to be there with at least some of his friends to light up the night sky.

"Lelouch," Suzaku tapped his shoulder to catch his attention.

"Hm?" Lelouch turned to look his now older friend in the eyes.

"Thank you." He whispered. "I can say it now, right?"

Lelouch smiled. "Of course... but I'm not sure 'thank you' are the right words. I just want to keep a small fraction of that promise."

With the slightest smile he placed his hand on Lelouch's shoulder. "You already did. At Ashford."

He hesitated. "Even though I wasn't the one who actually lit them? We talked about this…"

"You planned it didn't you? Then you _were_ there."

Lelouch smirked, understanding what his friend meant. "Idiot… That's sappy."

Suzaku smirked back at him. "So?"

"But…" Lelouch visibly relaxed.

"Well, if you won't let me thank you for the fireworks, at least let me thank you for today, for this one day."

Lelouch raised his head and sighed. "If you insist… you're welcome."

Suzaku suddenly had a strange, almost regretful expression. "I think I finally forgive you." He said it in such a small whisper that Lelouch heard nothing of it. "I swore I wouldn't… Who would have ever thought?"

The fireworks continued to whistle and crack, lighting up the night with flashes of reds, greens, and golds. Lelouch looked at the people around him.

"This can't be a regular thing." He said. "But I promise, and this time, I'll make sure that it's fulfilled, to bring you both back here."

Suzaku and Nunnally nodded firmly. "We understand." Nunnally answered. "Thank you so much… this has been unreal." She wiped her tears away. "I dreamed of something like this every night, that you'd be alive, somehow… and, now, here we are." Her wide eyes glimmered. "Every day, I'll be looking forward to the next time." Radiating warmth, she reached her hand up to her brother's. "Right?"

Lelouch looked to Suzaku standing on his other side and C.C. behind him. The four of them stood closely together as the last few fireworks burst in the air and he let himself soak in all of the week's memories; from the moment he saw their faces once again, to where they stood right that very second. His smile gentle and sincere, he told all of them in a clear, ringing voice:

"I promise."

And this time, nothing stood in the way of him keeping it.


End file.
